Producer Joby George gets four-year jail term and fine of Rs 66.5 lakh in UK visa fraud case

KOCHI: The court has sentenced producer Joby George to four years in prison in the case of extorting money by promising UK visa. He will also have to pay a fine of Rs 66.5 lakh. The verdict was delivered by the special PMLA court in Kochi in two cases. The action was taken on the complaint filed by Rajesh Mathew of Muvattupuzha and a couple from Mulanthuruthy.

He received Rs 50 lakh in two installments from Rajesh Mathew after promising UK visa in 2011. When he failed to issue visa, he gave a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as part of the refund in 2012. However, the cheque bounced. Rajesh Mathew then filed a complaint. The court observed that Joby acted with the intention of defrauding Rajesh Mathew and sentenced him to two years in prison. A fine of Rs 50 lakh has to be paid in this case. The court acquitted Joby's wife Suni Mol due to lack of evidence.

Joby committed fraud by promising business partnership and student visa to Biju Varghese and his wife Darley Biju of Mulanthuruthy. He swindled lakhs from them. He promised to give partnership in an 'off-licence' shop in Newcastle, London, and would get admission for a diploma in business information at LBA College, London. The couple, who arrived in UK, came to know about the fraud from there. The couple gave a statement that they were threatened when asked for the money back. Joby was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of 16.52 lakhs in this case.